Systems and methods providing assisted aiming for wireless links

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods which provide local sensor and/or external information derived proactive aiming assistance with respect to wireless nodes for facilitating desired wireless links are shown. Embodiments provide an aiming assistance user interface providing guidance with respect to properly altering the orientation of a wireless node to provide a desired wireless link. To facilitate providing aiming assistance embodiments of wireless nodes are adapted to include a plurality of sensors operable to provide information useful in environmental analysis for determining proactive orientation guidance information. Wireless nodes adapted according to embodiments additionally or alternatively utilize information obtained externally useful in determining proactive orientation guidance information. Embodiments of the invention utilize the foregoing sensor information and externally sourced information to determine proactive orientation guidance information.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates generally to wireless links and, moreparticularly, to providing assisted aiming for wireless links.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The use of wireless links for facilitating various forms ofcommunication, such as voice, multimedia, data, etc., has become nearlyubiquitous in today's world. For example, wireless nodes in the form ofbasestations and corresponding cellular phones are pervasive androutinely utilized for providing all forms of mobile communicationbetween individuals and groups. Similarly, wireless nodes in the form ofaccess points and wireless terminals (e.g., computers, personal digitalassistants (PDAs), game systems, Internet appliances, etc.) are inwidespread use for facilitating widespread robust data access andcommunications.

It is not uncommon that directional antenna beams are used in providingwireless links, whether at either or both ends of a wireless link. Forexample, as wireless spectrum becomes more and more crowded, thedirectivity of directional antenna beams may be utilized to avoid ormitigate interfering with other wireless links or being interfered withby the signals of other wireless links. Additionally, gain increasesassociated with directional antenna beams may be utilized to facilitateincreased wireless link distances, to increase signal to noise ratio(SNR), to increase link budget, etc.

The use of such directional antenna beams significantly complicates thedeployment and maintenance of wireless links. For example, wherenon-directional (omni-directional) antenna beams are used, wirelessnodes may essentially be placed anywhere within the radius of coverageof an associated wireless node and a communication link can beestablished. However, when directional antenna beams are used, at leastthe relative direction of a corresponding wireless node must bedetermined, and preferably information such as the effective size andshape of the directional antenna beam(s), the topology of the linkspace, the channel environment, etc. may also be determined, forestablishing the wireless link.

Sophisticated installers of wireless nodes implementing directionalantenna beams often perform appreciable pre-deployment analysis todetermine placement and orientation of wireless nodes (or the antennasystems thereof) to provide desired wireless links. For example, aninstaller may perform calculations, use map overlays, run sitesimulations, etc. to analyze the expected channel conditions andwireless link characteristics for particular locations and/or wirelessnode orientations. From this analysis, the installer may determine aparticular wireless node deployment configuration (wireless nodelocation and orientation) and thus deploy wireless nodes in the field toprovide wireless links. However, despite this complicated pre-deploymentanalysis, the results experienced in the field are often not aspredicted and thus the resulting wireless links may not have the desiredcharacteristics. For example, the information available to the installerfor the pre-deployment analysis is generally not perfect, the wirelessnodes may not be deployed in exact correspondence to the plan, etc.Accordingly, such sophisticated installers may nevertheless have toresort to trial and error in deploying wireless nodes to facilitatewireless links.

With the proliferation of various wireless node infrastructure, such asWiFi and WiMAX access points and terminals directed to the consumermarket, less and less sophisticated installers are often involved in thedeployment of wireless nodes. For example, individuals experienced withdeploying cameras and other equipment associated with surveillancesystems have recently begun to install camera equipment utilizingwireless links in order to bridge appreciable distances more readily.However, these individuals are typically not specifically trained withrespect to the deployment of wireless nodes. Accordingly, suchinstallers neither have the resources nor the skills to do complicatedpre-deployment analysis for wireless node deployment.

Some effort has been made to provide information to an installer of awireless node useful in establishing a wireless link. For example,various forms of signal meters have been utilized to indicate a signallevel associated with a current deployment configuration of a wirelessnode. For example, a simple receive signal strength indicator (RSSI)meter has been included with or coupled to a wireless node to displaythe signal strength experienced with respect to a current deploymentconfiguration of the wireless node. As another example, an audio tonewhich alters in pulse periodicity or pitch in correspondence to thesignal strength experienced with respect to a current deploymentconfiguration of the wireless node has been utilized. Similarly, anindicator lamp which alters in pulse periodicity in correspondence tothe signal strength experienced with respect to a current deploymentconfiguration of the wireless node has also been utilized. In practice,the installer somewhat randomly positions and/or orients the wirelessnode and continually modifies its orientation (e.g., alters the azimuthangle, elevation angle, location, and/or height) until the particularsignal strength indicator being used appears to indicate a highestachievable level. The wireless node is then fixed in place in thisdeployment configuration for providing wireless links.

Such prior systems, although being relatively inexpensive and easilyunderstood even by unsophisticated installers, provide very littleinformation. That is, these prior systems do not provide any guidancewith respect to the proper orientation of the wireless node, but ratherprovide information with respect to the then current deploymentconfiguration. For example, these prior systems provide no informationwith respect to the relative position of a corresponding wireless nodeand thus the installer must initially select a wireless node deploymentconfiguration without the aid of information from the signal levelsystem. Moreover, it is up to the installer to determine what action totake (e.g., end the orientation phase of the deployment or alter theorientation, and, if so, what change or changes to the orientation tomake) with respect to the wireless node deployment activity.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to systems and methods which providelocal sensor and/or external information derived proactive aimingassistance with respect to wireless nodes for facilitating desiredwireless links. Embodiments of the invention provide an aimingassistance user interface providing guidance with respect to properlyaltering the orientation of a wireless node to provide a desiredwireless link. Such proactive guidance may, for example, compriseinstruction to provide reorientation in a particular azimuth direction,to provide reorientation in a particular elevation direction, and toprovide no further reorientation.

In order to provide aiming assistance as described herein, embodimentsof wireless nodes are adapted to include a plurality of sensors operableto provide information useful in environmental analysis for determiningproactive orientation guidance information. For example, embodiments ofa wireless node adapted according the concepts herein may comprisesensors for determining geographic location, azimuth orientation,elevation orientation, height, and/or orientation relative to one ormore corresponding wireless node.

Wireless nodes adapted according to embodiments of the inventionadditionally or alternatively utilize information obtained externallyuseful in determining proactive orientation guidance information. Forexample, embodiments of a wireless node adapted according to theconcepts herein may obtain information from one or more external sourceregarding the location of other wireless nodes, from which the currentlocation of the wireless node may be determined, from which the currentorientation of the wireless node may be determined, etc.

Embodiments of the invention utilize the foregoing sensor informationand externally sourced information (collectively referred to asdeployment information) to determine proactive orientation guidanceinformation. For example, processing may be performed with respect toall or some portion of the deployment information to determine one ormore putative deployment configurations for the wireless node whichshould result in a wireless link having at least one desiredcharacteristic. A wireless node orientation guidance user interface ofembodiments provides the determined proactive orientation guidanceinformation to an installer in real-time to provide proactive aimingassistance with respect to the wireless node for facilitating desiredwireless links. Processing may be performed with respect to availabledeployment information (e.g., to utilized updated sensor information)for providing the real-time proactive aiming assistance.

In operation according to embodiments of the invention, proactiveorientation guidance information may be provided for a plurality ofdeployment configurations for a particular wireless node. For example, aputative “best” deployment configuration may be determined and proactiveorientation guidance information provided for an installer to orient thewireless node in this putative best deployment configuration. Analysisof a resulting wireless link may indicate that a putative “next best”deployment configuration should be analyzed to determine if theresulting wireless link more closely meets one or more desiredcharacteristic. Accordingly, proactive orientation guidance informationmay again be provided for an installer to orient the wireless node inthis putative next best deployment configuration, followed by analysisof a resulting wireless link. Such iterations of proactive orientationguidance may be repeated until a resulting wireless link suitably meetsone or more desired characteristic or is otherwise determined to be abest deployment configuration for the wireless node.

Embodiments of the invention may operate to provide proactiveorientation guidance information at time other than initial deploymentof a wireless node. For example, sensor information and/or externallysourced information may be monitored after deployment to determine ifthere may be a change suggesting a yet better deployment configurationthan the deployment configuration presently in use. A user may benotified that a new putative best deployment configuration may beavailable and thus proactive orientation guidance information may againbe provided for reorienting the wireless node.

Information regarding a wireless node, such as sensor informationcollected during a deployment phase and/or during operation of thewireless node, information regarding a final deployment configuration ofthe wireless node, etc., may be provided to external systems for usethereby. For example, information regarding the final deploymentconfiguration of the wireless node and information regarding variousinterference sources detected by the wireless node may be provided to anexternal server which provides radio map and other information utilizedby wireless nodes for deployment configuration determinations.

The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technicaladvantages of the present invention in order that the detaileddescription of the invention that follows may be better understood.Additional features and advantages of the invention will be describedhereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. Itshould be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conceptionand specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis formodifying or designing other structures for carrying out the samepurposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by thoseskilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart fromthe spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appendedclaims. The novel features which are believed to be characteristic ofthe invention, both as to its organization and method of operation,together with further objects and advantages will be better understoodfrom the following description when considered in connection with theaccompanying figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, thateach of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration anddescription only and is not intended as a definition of the limits ofthe present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference isnow made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a system adapted to provide proactive aiming assistanceaccording to embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows an aiming assistance user interface according toembodiments of the invention;

FIG. 3 shows an exemplary deployment of wireless nodes using proactiveaiming assistance according to embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 4 shows a high level flow diagram of operation of proactive aimingassistance provided according to embodiments of the invention; and

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of a flow diagram providing detail withrespect to interaction with proactive aiming assistance to orient awireless node shown in FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows system 100 adapted according to embodiments of theinvention to provide proactive aiming assistance with respect towireless nodes for facilitating desired wireless links. System 100 ofthe illustrated embodiment comprises a plurality of wireless nodes(shown here as wireless nodes 100A-100N) which may be utilized inproviding desired wireless links. For example, wireless nodes 100B and100N may be deployed as master nodes (e.g., wireless access points, basestations, service provider equipment, etc.) whereas wireless node 100Amay be deployed as a slave node (e.g., wireless terminal, subscriberequipment, etc.). A wireless link providing a desired level ofreliability, throughput, signal to noise characteristics, etc. may bedesired to be established between wireless node 100A and one or more ofwireless nodes 100B and 100N, such as to provide connectivity to network150 (e.g., the Internet, a local area network (LAN), a metropolitan areanetwork (MAN), a wide area network (WAN), the public switched telephonenetwork (PSTN), a cable subscriber network, and/or the like).Accordingly, in normal operation one or more devices or systems may becoupled to wireless node 110A for connectivity to network 150.

Embodiments are described herein with reference to wireless node 100Aproviding a slave node configuration and wireless nodes 100B and 100Nproviding master nodes coupled to a network in order to provide a moreconcrete example for aiding in understanding the concepts of the presentinvention. However, it should be appreciated that the concepts of thepresent invention are not limited to application to such wireless nodeconfigurations. For example, wireless node 100A may provide a connectionto a network while wireless nodes 100B and 100N provide connections tovarious devices or systems. In some embodiments, none of wireless nodes100A-100N may be connected to a network, such as where point to pointcommunication between particular devices is desired. Correspondingly, inother embodiments each of wireless nodes 100A-100N may be connected tonetworks, such as where bridging of networks is desired. Thus, one ofordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the particularfunctionality provided by wireless nodes in their operation isimmaterial to the proactive aiming assistance of embodiments herein.

As can be seen in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, wireless node100A includes radio unit 114 coupled to antenna system 116 and datainterface 115 providing a radio communication interface. For example,data interface 115 provides one or more ports, such as a network port(e.g., Ethernet port, personal area network (e.g., BLUETOOTH) port), auniversal serial bus (USB) port, a proprietary bus, and/or the like, forcommunicatively connecting wireless node 110A to various devices andsystems. Antenna system 116, such as may comprise one or more aerials,patches, horns, or other antenna elements and associated feed network(e.g., feed lines, meanders, beam forming networks, baluns, etc.)operates to provide one or more radiation pattern (e.g., a narrow,directional antenna beam) for transmitting and/or receiving radiofrequency (RF) signals. Correspondingly, radio unit 114 providesmodulation and/or demodulation between baseband and RF signalscommunicated between antenna system 116 and data interface 115.Accordingly, radio unit 114, antenna system 116, and data interface 115cooperate to provide communication between one or more device or systemcoupled to data interface 115 and other remote devices or systems usinga wireless link facilitated by radio unit 114 and antenna system 116.

In addition to radio unit 114, antenna system 116, and data interface115, wireless node 110A of the illustrated embodiment includes processor111, sensor package 112, and aiming assistance user interface 113. Thesefunctional blocks of the illustrated embodiment cooperate to provideproactive aiming assistance of embodiments of the present invention.

Sensor package 112 includes one or more sensor providing information toprocessor 111 for use in providing proactive aiming assistance to a userthrough aiming assistance user interface 113. For example, sensorpackage 112 of embodiments comprises a global positioning system (GPS)receiver (e.g., integrated circuit GPS receiver module), a barometricpressure sensor (e.g., static pressure sensor), a temperature sensor(e.g., silicon bandgap temperature sensor, resistance thermometer,coulomb blockade thermometer, etc.), an inclinometer (e.g., liquidcapacitive, electrolytic, etc. tilt sensor), a tilt switch (e.g.,mercury tilt switch), an accelerometer (e.g., 3-axis solid stateaccelerometer), gyroscopic sensor (e.g., Coriolis vibratory gyroscope),a digital compass (e.g., magnetometer), a signal receive strengthsensor, a signal to noise sensor, and/or the like providingcorresponding sensor information to processor 111.

It should be appreciated that sensors of sensor package 112 need not beprovided exclusively for use in proactive aiming assistance operation.For example, a GPS receiver module utilized as part of sensor package112 of an embodiment may also be utilized for other purposes, such as toprovide GPS derived timing of a communication protocol supported bywireless node 110A.

Processor 111 may comprise a general purpose processor (e.g., aprocessor from the PENTIUM family of processors available from IntelCorporation), a special purpose processor (e.g., an application specificintegrated circuit (ASIC)), or combinations thereof, operable undercontrol of an instruction set (e.g., software and/or firmware) definingoperation as described herein. Processor 111 may have supportingcircuitry associated therewith (not shown), such as memory (e.g., randomaccess memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), disk memory, opticalmemory, etc.), a co-processor (e.g., math co-processor), etc. Inoperation according to embodiments of the invention, processor 111utilizes information obtained from one or more sensors of sensor package112 and/or obtained from external sources (e.g., through data interface115) to determine a configuration orientation for wireless node 110A.For example, externally sourced information useful with theaforementioned sensor information for determining a configurationorientation may be obtained from database 121 stored by server 120, suchas through coupling wireless node 110A to an appropriate network host(e.g., computer 130 or broadband modem 140) via data interface 115 orusing a wireless link (e.g., using data interface 115, radio unit 114,and antenna system 116).

Aiming assistance user interface 113 of embodiments is operable toprovide guidance to a user for positioning wireless mode 110A in theconfiguration orientation determined by processor 111. For example,signals provided by processor 111 may be utilized at aiming assistanceuser interface 113 to provide guidance with respect to properly alteringthe orientation of wireless node 110A. Such proactive guidance may, forexample, comprise instruction to provide reorientation in a particularazimuth direction, to provide reorientation in a particular elevationdirection, and to provide no further reorientation. Accordingly, aimingassistance user interface 113 of embodiments comprises various outputsto communicate guidance information to a user. Additionally, aimingassistance user interface 113 may comprise various inputs to acceptcontrol input and/or responses from a user.

FIG. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of input/output provided by aimingassistance user interface 113. The embodiment of aiming assistance userinterface 113 illustrated in FIG. 2 includes azimuth guidance outputs211 and 212, elevation guidance outputs 221 and 222, and hold guidanceoutput 231. The illustrated embodiment of aiming assistance userinterface further includes guidance control inputs 241 and 242 andguidance response inputs 251 and 252. Guidance outputs 211, 212, 221,and 222 may comprise light emitting diodes (LEDs) while guidance controlinputs 241 and 242 and guidance response inputs 251 and 252 may comprisepushbutton switch surfaces according to embodiments. Embodiments of theinvention, however, may comprise any number of configurations of userinterface, such as may include liquid crystal displays (LCDs), touchscreens, digital pointing devices, keyboards, etc.

The various inputs and outputs provided by aiming assistance userinterface 113 cooperate to provide proactive aiming assistance guidanceto a user. For example, a user may indicate a desire to receiveproactive aiming assistance by manipulating input 241 (e.g., a “Start”button). Thereafter, as will be better understood by the operationaldescription which follows, appropriate ones of outputs 211, 212, 221,222, and 231 may be activated to guide the user in reorienting wirelessnode 110A. In accordance to embodiments of the invention, outputs 211and 212 comprise azimuth guidance outputs and thus an appropriate onethereof is activated to guide a user in reorienting wireless node 110Ain the azimuth (e.g., output 211 is activated for guiding left rotationand output 212 is activated for guiding right rotation), outputs 221 and222 comprise elevation guidance outputs (e.g., output 221 is activatedfor guiding down-tilt and output 222 is activated for guiding up-tilt),and output 231 comprises hold guidance output (e.g., output 231 isactivated for guiding a hold to further reorientation). By activating anappropriate one or more of outputs 211, 212, 221, 222, and 231throughout a user reorienting wireless node 110A, the user may be guidedto orient the wireless node in a desired deployment configuration. Itshould be understood that embodiments of the invention may activatemultiple outputs simultaneously (e.g., rotation and tilt) to providecomplex guidance information. Upon reaching the desired deploymentconfiguration, output 231 may be activated to indicate “hold”.Thereafter, the user may indicate having been satisfied and desiring nofurther proactive aiming assistance by manipulating input 242 (e.g., an“End” button).

Outputs of aiming assistance user interface 113 of the embodimentillustrated in FIG. 2 is not limited to binary guidance information(e.g., activation of an output or inactivation of an output). Forexample, more robust guidance may be provided using techniques such asflashing or pulsing an output at different rates to indicate an amountof reorientation to be provided (e.g., rapidly flashing output 211 mayindicate appreciable rotation to the left is desired while slowlyflashing output 211 may indicate that the wireless node is nearing thedesired orientation). Robust guidance may be provided through activationof multiple outputs simultaneously, the use of coded sequences ofactivation, etc. For example, where a wireless node is initiallydeployed in a location which is not compatible with establishing adesired wireless link (e.g., an obscured view of all other wirelessnodes), each of outputs 211, 212, 221, and 222 may be activatedsimultaneously (e.g., all flashed simultaneously) to indicate thatwireless node 110A should be repositioned.

It should be appreciated that aiming assistance user interface 113 ofthe illustrated embodiment is not limited to directing the user to asingle deployment configuration of wireless node 110A. For example, aplurality of different deployment configurations may provide desiredwireless links, and aiming assistance user interface 113 may be utilizedto guide a user to reorient wireless node 110A to several suchdeployment configurations (e.g., for determining which deploymentconfiguration provides a “best” deployment configuration). Accordingly,outputs 211, 212, 221, 222, and 231 may be operated to guide the user toorient wireless node 110A in each such deployment configuration, ifdesired. For example, after having oriented wireless node 110A in aparticular deployment configuration, perhaps remaining in the deploymentconfiguration for a sufficient period of time to analyze an establishedwireless link, the user may then indicate a desire to reorient thewireless link in another deployment configuration by manipulating anappropriate one of inputs 251 and 252 (e.g., selecting either a “Next”deployment configuration or a “Previous” deployment configuration).

Embodiments of aiming assistance user interface 113 may compriseinput/output in addition to or in the alternative to that shown in theembodiment of FIG. 2. For example, embodiments of aiming assistance userinterface 113 may include a display screen, a touch screen, variousindicators, a digital pointer, audio input, audio output, etc.

It should be appreciated that, although exemplary embodiments have beendescribed above wherein processor 111, sensor package 112, and aimingassistance user interface 113 are included as part of a wireless node,embodiments may be configured differently than illustrated. For example,some or all of the functionality provided by the foregoing embodimentsof processor 111, sensor package 112, and/or aiming assistance userinterface 113 may be provided external or separate from the wirelessnode. According to an embodiment some of the functionality provided byprocessor 111, sensor package 112, and/or aiming assistance userinterface 113 is disposed in an external module removable coupled towireless node 110A. Such an external module configuration may facilitateproviding proactive aiming assistance as described herein using awireless node not specifically configured for such operation, using aless expensive or less robust wireless node, using a same externalmodule for a plurality of wireless nodes, etc.

Embodiments of the foregoing external module configuration may becommunicatively coupled to wireless node 110A for providing operation asdescribed herein using an interface of data interface 115 (e.g., anetwork interface, a USB interface, a proprietary interface, etc.),using a wireless link provided by radio 114 and antenna 116, and/or thelike. Functional blocks of the external module may cooperate withfunctional blocks of the wireless node for providing proactive aimingassistance. For example, sensors of both an external module and thewireless node may be utilized for providing aiming assistance.Similarly, a processor of the external module and the wireless node maycooperate in determining proactive orientation guidance information foraiming assistance. As another example, the input and/or output providedby aiming assistance user interface 113 may be provided in an externalmodule for use with a wireless node.

It should be appreciated that embodiments of an external module as maybe used for providing proactive aiming assistance may implement variousconfigurations. For example, embodiments may implement a configurationin which the external module is specifically designed for use inproviding proactive aiming assistance for wireless nodes. Alternatively,embodiments may implement a general purpose device operable (e.g.,operating under control of an instruction set defining operation asdescribed herein) as an external module providing proactive aimingassistance for wireless nodes. For example, a smart phone (e.g., IPHONEavailable from Apple Computer Inc. or ANDROID based phone available frommanufacturers such as Motorola Inc.) may execute an application forinterfacing with a wireless node (e.g., via WiFi or BLUETOOTH) andproviding display of output and/or accepting input of aiming assistanceuser interface 113.

Although details with respect to an embodiment of wireless node 110Ahave been discussed above, it should be appreciated that other wirelessnodes of system 100 may be similarly configured. For example, one ormore of wireless nodes 110B-110N may be adapted as shown for wirelessnode 110A in FIGS. 1 and 2. Accordingly, such configurations of wirelessnodes 110B-110N may be provided proactive aiming assistance duringdeployment and/or thereafter according to embodiments of the invention,if desired. Additionally or alternatively, deployment informationregarding the deployment configuration of one or more of wireless nodes110B-110N may be provided to server 120 for storage in database 121using a configuration of functional blocks as described above withrespect to wireless node 110A. Thus, although the wireless nodes may beconfigured to provide different operating functionality (e.g., slavenode functionality, master node functionality, etc.), any or all suchwireless nodes may advantageously implement functional aspects of aproactive aiming assistance architecture herein.

Continuing with the example that wireless node 110A is configured toprovide operation as a slave node and wireless nodes 110B and 110N areconfigured to provide operation as master nodes, assume that it isdesired to deploy wireless node 110A for facilitating a broadbandwireless link to a particular site, such as location 310A shown in FIG.3. For example, it may be desired to deploy wireless node 110A toprovide a broadband Internet connection to location 310A, such as forcoupling one or more computer (e.g., a computer such as computer 130)disposed at location 310A to the Internet, for coupling a LAN (notshown) at location 310A to the Internet (e.g., via a modem such asbroadband modem 140), etc. Assume further that wireless nodes 110B and110N have been deployed at respective sites, shown as locations 310B and310N in FIG. 3, to provide radio coverage for broadband wireless linksto network 150. Accordingly, wireless node 310B, as deployed in theillustrated configuration, provides radio coverage in service areasassociated with 90° antenna beam 311B and 90° antenna beam 312B.Similarly, wireless node 310N, as deployed in the illustratedconfiguration, provides radio coverage in service areas associated with90° antenna beam 311N and 90° antenna beam 312N.

Location 310A of wireless node 110A is disposed within the service areasof antenna beam 311B provided by wireless node 110B and antenna beam311N provided by wireless node 110N. Assuming antenna system 116(FIG. 1) of wireless node 110A provides directional radio coverage(e.g., a narrow, directional antenna beam such as a 30° antenna beam)various orientations of wireless node 110A may be able to establish awireless link with wireless node 110B or wireless node 110N. Particularorientations of wireless node 110A may provide suitable wireless links(e.g., appropriately face a corresponding wireless node), perhaps with asubset of those orientations (e.g., one or two orientations) providingwireless links having one or more superior or “best” characteristics.Operation of proactive aiming assistance provided according toembodiments of the invention, a user is guided through orientingwireless node 110A to establish a desired wireless link with acorresponding wireless node, such as wireless node 110B or wireless node110N.

Directing attention to FIG. 4, flow 400 shown therein illustratesoperation of proactive aiming assistance provided according toembodiments of the invention. At block 401 of the illustrated embodimentone or more database, such as database 121 of FIG. 1, is provided withwireless node information for facilitating proactive aiming assistance.For example, a database may be provided with information regarding theoperational configuration of wireless nodes (e.g., master node, slavenode, public node, private node, resources provided, etc.), informationregarding the communication attributes of wireless nodes (e.g.,protocols supported, antenna beam width (e.g., horizontal width and/orvertical width), antenna beam shape, antenna gain, radio output power,radio receive sensitivity, etc.), information regarding the geographiclocation of wireless nodes (e.g., physical address, latitude andlongitude, GPS coordinates, etc.), information regarding the orientationof wireless nodes (e.g., height (e.g., above ground level (AGL) and/ormean sea level (MSL)), vertical alignment, up tilt/down tilt, azimuthfacing angle, etc.), information regarding the environmental conditions(e.g., disposed on roof top, disposed indoors, location of possibleobstructions, subject to shadowing by deciduous vegetation, highinterference environment, etc.), and/or other information as may beutilized in determining suitable pairings of wireless nodes forproviding desired wireless links.

It should be appreciated that, although an embodiment is described abovewith respect to the use of database 121 for storing wireless nodeinformation, operation in accordance with the concepts of the presentinvention are not limited to use of such a configuration. For example,various nodes, such as wireless nodes 110B-110N, may themselves storesuch wireless node information (or some portion thereof). In operationaccording to embodiments of the invention such nodes may share wirelessnode information and/or other information, such as via an ad-hock orpeer-to-peer technique.

The foregoing wireless node information may be provided by operatorinput, collected by automated means, provided by the wireless nodesthemselves, and/or combinations thereof. According to embodiments of theinvention, wireless nodes such as wireless nodes 110B and 110N of FIG. 3utilize sensors associated therewith (e.g., using sensor package 112 andprocessor 111 of FIG. 1) to collect and/or derive wireless nodeinformation provided at block 401. Such information may be supplemented,refined, etc. through operator input, if desired.

At block 402 of the illustrated embodiment a location and operationalconfiguration for a wireless node to be deployed is selected. Forexample, a general location, such as a location of a home or businessfor which a wireless link is desired, may be selected. The deploymentlocation may be indicated using information such as physical address,latitude and longitude, GPS coordinates, etc. An operationalconfiguration for the wireless node, such as to indicate the wirelessnode will be operated as a master or slave node, to select communicationprotocols to be utilized, to select resources to be made available by orto the wireless node, etc., is also selected. For example, wirelessdevice 110A (the wireless device to be deployed) may be coupled to ahost system (e.g., computer 130) for selection or input of the foregoinglocation and operational configuration. Additionally or alternatively,location and/or operational configuration may be provided directly towireless device 110A, such as through manipulation of input features ofaiming assistance user interface 113 or other user interface thereof.

At block 403 of the illustrated embodiment information useful inproviding proactive aiming assistance is obtained from a source externalto the wireless node to be deployed. For example, some or all of theaforementioned wireless node information (block 401) may be obtained.According to an embodiment of the invention, the location for deploymentof the wireless node (block 402) may be utilized to identify a subset ofother wireless nodes (e.g., wireless nodes 110B and 110N of FIG. 3) aspotential candidates for establishing the desired wireless link. Forexample, processor 111 may operate to utilize the information regardingthe selected location and information available from database 121 toidentify a subset of wireless nodes (e.g., wireless nodes disposedwithin a threshold distance from the location, wireless nodes havingparticular configurations, wireless nodes having particular resources,etc.) as candidates for establishing wireless links. Wireless nodeinformation for a subset of wireless nodes may be obtained for use inproactive aiming assistance. For example, wireless node 110A may betemporarily provided network connectivity (e.g., using computer 130,modem 140, etc.) or otherwise provided access to database 121 forobtaining wireless node information for an appropriate set of wirelessnodes.

It should be appreciated from the foregoing that wireless node 110A maybe temporarily coupled to a host device for facilitating the selectionof operational configuration and location (block 402) and obtaininginformation from an external source. For example, wireless node 110A maybe temporarily coupled to computer 130, which itself is coupled tonetwork 150, as part of the deployment process of the illustratedembodiment of flow 400.

At block 404 of the illustrated embodiment the wireless node isinitially positioned for the deployment. For example, wireless node 110Amay be disposed on a rooftop, on an antenna mast, disposed in anappropriate window of a building at location 301A, etc. The position ofwireless node 110A is an initial position from which proactive aimingassistance herein will guide a user to orient wireless node 110A in adeployment configuration for establishing a desired wireless link.Accordingly, this initial position need not be precise or even directedto another wireless node (e.g., wireless node 110B or wireless node110N).

It should be appreciated that particular positions of wireless node 110Amay be incompatible with establishing a suitable wireless link withparticular other wireless nodes (e.g., one or the other of wirelessnodes 110B and 110N). For example, a particular position, although atlocation 310A, may result in structure disposed between wireless node110A and one or more of the available other wireless nodes. Similarly, aparticular position at location 310A may result in wireless node 110Abeing disposed outside of (horizontally and/or vertically) the servicearea of one or more of the available other wireless nodes. Accordingly,embodiments of the invention may operate to provide proactive assistancewith respect to the initial positioning of wireless node 110A.

In operation according to an embodiment of the invention, processor 111or another processor (e.g., a processor of computer 130) may determineproactive site guidance information for use in initially positioningwireless node 110A (block 404). For example, having informationregarding a location selected for deployment of wireless node 110A(block 402) and information regarding other wireless nodes (block 403),embodiments of the invention may perform analysis to determine a generalposition (e.g., rooftop, above a threshold height, having a particularexposure, such as a southerly exposure, tilted generally up/down, etc.)for wireless node 110A from which proactive aiming assistance is to beprovided. Such site guidance information may be provided to the userthrough an interface of wireless node 110A (e.g., through aimingassistance user interface 113, such as through blinking codes ordisplaying messages upon an output thereof) or of another device (e.g.,through a screen of computer 130, such as may be utilized in obtainingthe aforementioned information from external sources).

At block 405 of the illustrated embodiment proactive orientationguidance information is determined and communicated to the user throughthe aiming assistance user interface for orienting the wireless node ina deployment configuration determined to provide a wireless link withone or more of the wireless nodes. For example, as discussed in detailwith respect to the flow of FIG. 5, processor 111 may determine aputative deployment configuration for wireless node 110A which shouldresult in a wireless link having at least one desired characteristic.Thereafter, processor 111 may utilize the determined putative deploymentconfiguration information and information provided by sensor package112, radio unit 114, and/or data interface 115 to provide appropriatesignals to aiming assistance user interface 113 to guide the user inmanipulating wireless node 110A to achieve the deployment configuration.

At block 406 of the illustrated embodiment, once a suitable deploymentconfiguration has been achieved, the orientation of wireless node 110Amay be fixed (e.g., through tightening fasteners, attaching clamps,applying adhesive, etc.), whether permanently or semi-permanently, and awireless link having desired characteristics established with one ormore other wireless node (e.g., wireless node 110B and/or 110N).

FIG. 5 provides detail with respect to a flow as may be provided byoperation of block 405 of FIG. 4 for proactive aiming assistance toorient a wireless node. In operation according to an embodiment of theinvention, the user may have initially positioned wireless node 110A(block 404) and indicated that proactive aiming assistance is desired,such as by manipulating aiming assistance user interface 113 input 241(e.g., “Start”).

At block 501 of the illustrated embodiment sensor information isobtained providing information regarding the environment in which thewireless node is positioned. For example, one or more sensor of sensorpackage 112 may provide information regarding the precise location ofwireless node 110A (e.g., GPS sensor derived location information), aheight of wireless node 110A (e.g., barometric pressure derived heightinformation), a facing direction of wireless node 110A (e.g., compassderived direction information), tilt of wireless node 110A (e.g.,inclinometer derived tilt information), and/or the like.

The above mentioned sensor information may be utilized by processor 111in determining a present deployment configuration of wireless node 110A(e.g., precisely where the wireless node is located, how the wirelessnode is facing azimuthally, how the wireless node is facingelevationally, the height of the wireless node, etc.). It should beappreciated, however, that such sensor information may not directlyprovide information from which a present deployment configuration ofwireless node 110A may be determined For example, although thebarometric pressure information from a barometric pressure sensor, asmay be included as part of sensor package 112, provides information fromwhich height information may be derived, the barometric pressureinformation may not itself directly provide such height information.That is, although barometric pressure decreases as a known rate withheight, the local ambient barometric pressure is affected by weathersystems (e.g., high pressure cells, low pressure cells, cold temperaturecells, warm temperature cells, etc.) such that a particular barometricpressure reading needs to be corrected for local conditions (e.g.,temperature and pressure) for determination of height.

Accordingly, operation in accordance with embodiments of block 501 ofthe illustrated embodiment obtains externally sourced information (e.g.,in addition to, or updates to, externally sourced information obtainedat block 403 of FIG. 4). In operation according to embodiments,processor 111 accesses one or more external data sources availablethrough network 150 for such additional or updated externally sourcedinformation. For example, continuing with the foregoing barometricpressure example, processor 111 may access aviation weather databasesavailable via the Internet to obtain current temperature and barometricpressure readings for one or more sites (e.g., airports) near thelocation at which wireless node 110A is being deployed.

It should be appreciated that the externally sourced informationdescribed above as being obtained at block 501 of the illustratedembodiment may be obtained elsewhere in the flow. For example, wherewireless node 110A is not provided Internet connectivity duringdeployment, such information may be obtained prior to positioning thewireless node (e.g., at block 403 when other externally sourcedinformation is obtained).

At block 502 of the illustrated embodiment one or more candidatewireless node for establishing a wireless link having desiredcharacteristics is identified. In operation at block 502 according toembodiments, the current deployment configuration information (e.g.,orientation and/or site information) for the wireless node is determinedby processor 111. The determined current deployment information and/orother information (e.g., sensor information) is analyzed by processor111 of embodiments to determine candidate wireless nodes of theaforementioned subset of wireless nodes (e.g., wireless nodes 110B and110N of FIG. 3) suitable for establishing a wireless link. For example,current deployment configuration information may indicate that wirelessnode 110A is disposed upon a north face of a building and thus has anobscured view to the south. Therefore, particular wireless nodes (e.g.,wireless node 110N of FIG. 3) of the subset of wireless nodes previouslydetermined to otherwise be within range of wireless node 110A, but whichare disposed to the south thereof, may be omitted from consideration ascandidate wireless nodes. Accordingly, particular wireless nodes (e.g.,wireless node 110B of FIG. 3) of the previously determined subset ofwireless nodes which are located to the north may be identified ascandidate wireless nodes.

The analysis of candidate wireless nodes provided according toembodiments at block 502 may comprise analysis in addition toidentifying candidate wireless nodes for providing a wireless link withwireless node 110A when disposed at its present location. For example,processor 111 may provide analysis such that the candidate wirelessnodes identified are organized into a hierarchy of preference, such as a“best” candidate (e.g., wireless node 110B), a “next-best” candidate(e.g., wireless node 110N), and so on. Such a preference hierarchy maybe based upon various factors, such as relative distance, topologybetween the candidate wireless node and the present location of wirelessnode 110A, differences in height between the candidate wireless node andwireless node 110A, configuration of the candidate wireless node,calculation of the predicted link budget between the candidate wirelessnode and wireless node 110A, an attribute of the deploymentconfiguration of wireless node 110A when a wireless link is establishedwith the candidate wireless node, and/or the like. In operationaccording to a preferred embodiment of the invention one or morepredicted wireless link quality attribute is computed (e.g., usingpredicted link budget calculations and calculations to determine ifwireless node 110A and the candidate wireless node are positioned tofall within the Fresnel zone of the corresponding antenna beam) and usedin determining a preference hierarchy of candidate wireless nodes forestablishing a wireless link with wireless node 110A.

At block 503 of the illustrated embodiment a candidate wireless node isselected for orienting wireless node 110A to establish a wireless link.For example, a “best” candidate wireless node (e.g., wireless node 110B)from the preference hierarchy of candidate wireless nodes may beselected.

At block 504 of the illustrated embodiment proactive orientationinformation is determined for a deployment configuration of the wirelessnode to establish a wireless link with the selected candidate wirelessnode. For example, using the determined current deployment configurationinformation (block 502) and the wireless node information obtained(block 403) with respect to the selected candidate wireless node may beanalyzed by processor 111 to determine a desired deploymentconfiguration of wireless node 110A for establishing a wireless linkbetween wireless node 110A and the selected candidate wireless node(e.g., wireless node 110B). Knowing the determined desired deploymentconfiguration for the selected candidate wireless node and thedetermined current deployment configuration for wireless node 110A(block 502), proactive orientation information (e.g., guidance fortilting up, tilting down, rotating left, rotating right, etc.) forguiding a user in reorienting wireless node 110A may be determined.

At block 505 of the illustrated embodiment proactive orientationinformation is provided to the user to guide the user in orienting thewireless node in the determined desired deployment configuration. Forexample, aiming assistance user interface 113 outputs 211, 212, 221,222, and/or 231 may be controlled to guide the user in orientingwireless node 110A into a deployment configuration for establishing awireless link with the selected candidate wireless node (e.g., wirelessnode 110B). According to an embodiment of the invention, outputs 211 and212 comprise azimuth guidance outputs and thus an appropriate onethereof is activated to guide a user in reorienting wireless node 110Ain the azimuth (e.g., output 211 is activated for guiding left rotationand output 212 is activated for guiding right rotation), outputs 221 and222 comprise elevation guidance outputs (e.g., output 221 is activatedfor guiding down-tilt and output 222 is activated for guiding up-tilt),and output 231 comprises hold guidance output (e.g., output 231 isactivated for guiding a hold to further reorientation).

It should be appreciated that the providing of proactive orientationinformation is not limited to the use of aiming assistance userinterface 113 according to embodiments of the invention. For example, aport of data interface 115 may additionally or alternatively be utilizedto provide proactive orientation information to a user. In operationaccording to an embodiment of the invention, a processor-based system(e.g., computer 130, a smart phone, a PDA, etc.) may be placed incommunication with wireless node 110A (e.g., using a USB port, anEthernet port, a WiFi port, a BLUETOOTH port, etc. of data interface115) to receive proactive orientation information from wireless node110A and to present information to the user. The presentation ofproactive orientation information by such a processor-based system maybe robust, such as to provide a graphical representation of wirelessnode 110A and the selected candidate wireless node, to provide an imageoverlay upon a map or satellite image, to provide audio instructions tothe user, etc.

In providing proactive orientation information at block 505, embodimentsof the invention operate to obtain updated sensor information and/orother information for use in providing proactive aiming assistanceguidance to a user. Using such updated sensor information, processor 111of embodiments may activate appropriate one or more of outputs 211, 212,221, 222, and 231 (FIG. 1) throughout a user reorienting wireless node110A, and thus the user may be guided to orient the wireless node in adesired deployment configuration. For example, as an azimuth anglechanges, as indicated by a digital compass (e.g., magnetometer) ofsensor package 112, processor 111 may determine that more, less, or nofurther rotation of wireless node 110A is desired andactivate/inactivate appropriate ones of outputs 211 and 212 of aimingassistance user interface 113. Similarly, using such updated sensorinformation, processor 111 of embodiments may determine that wirelessnode 110A has been oriented in the determined desired deploymentconfiguration and thus activate output 231 to indicate furtherreorientation should be halted. For example, information from one ormore sensors of sensor package 112 may be analyzed to determine thatwireless node 110A is in the determined desired deploymentconfiguration. Additionally or alternatively, other availableinformation, such as data provided by data interface 115 may be utilizedto determine that wireless node 110A is in the determined desireddeployment configuration (e.g., data received by radio unit 114 may beanalyzed to determine wireless node 110A is properly oriented tocommunicate with another wireless node such as wireless node 110B).

At block 506 of the illustrated embodiment wireless communications areanalyzed to determine if a wireless link having desired attributes hasbeen established. For example, data provided by data interface 115(e.g., received through antenna system 116, radio unit 114, and datainterface 115) may be analyzed by processor 111 to determine if data isbeing received from another wireless node. Likewise, data may becommunicated by processor 111 using data interface 115, radio unit 114,and antenna system 116 for receipt by another wireless node. Suchcommunications may be utilized to analyze the quality of the wirelesslink established between wireless node 110A and another wireless node(e.g., wireless node 110B).

Additionally or alternatively, sensor information may be utilized atblock 506 to determine if a wireless link having desired attributes hasbeen established. For example, receive signal strength information,signal to noise information, link budget information, etc., as may bedetermined by processor 111 from sensor information provided by sensorpackage 112, may be analyzed for determining the quality of the wirelesslink established between wireless node 110A and another wireless node.

Information regarding the quality of the resulting wireless link may beanalyzed to determine if the wireless link provides a desired wirelesslink. For example, one or more attribute of the wireless link may beanalyzed to determine if the one or more attribute is within a thresholdamount of a desired value selected for the attribute. Embodiments of theinvention may compare one or more attribute of the established wirelesslink to a set of wireless link target attributes (e.g., obtained atblock 403 and/or block 501) and/or to one or more predicted wirelesslink quality attribute (e.g., computed at block 502) to determine if theestablished wireless link has desired attributes.

It should be appreciated that the wireless node information and otherinformation from which predicted wireless link attributes are calculatedmay not be perfect and, thus, the attributes of the established wirelesslink may not match those of the predicted wireless link attributes.Accordingly, analysis of a plurality of wireless links, and thus aplurality of deployment configurations for wireless node 110A, may bedesired. Thus, the embodiment of flow 405 illustrated in FIG. 5 includesblocks 507 and 508 providing for repeating of providing proactive aimingassistance guidance for a plurality of candidate wireless nodes.

At block 507 of the illustrated embodiment a determination is made as towhether the established wireless link is suitable. For example,processor 111 may determine if the established wireless link hasattributes sufficiently meeting those desired. If it is determined thatthe established wireless link is not suitable, processing according tothe illustrated embodiment proceeds to block 508. For example, output231 of aiming assistance user interface 113 may be flashed to indicatethat additional reorientation is desired to analyze other wirelesslinks. When ready to proceed with further proactive aiming assistanceguidance the user may manipulate an input of aiming assistance userinterface 113, such as input 251 (e.g., “Next” button).

At block 508 of the illustrated embodiment a determination is made as towhether additional candidate wireless nodes remain to be analyzed. Thatis, a determination is made according to embodiments as to whetheradditional candidate wireless nodes remain for which a suitable wirelesslink may be established. If it is determined that additional candidatewireless nodes remain to be analyzed, processing according to theillustrated embodiment proceeds to block 503. At block 503 of theillustrated embodiment another candidate wireless node is selected fororienting wireless node 110A to establish a wireless link. For example,a “next best” candidate wireless node (e.g., wireless node 110N) fromthe preference hierarchy of candidate wireless nodes may be selected andproactive aiming assistance guidance provided for establishing awireless link therewith. If, however, it is determined at block 508 thatno additional candidate wireless nodes remain to be analyzed, processingaccording to the illustrated embodiment proceeds to block 509.

At block 509 of the illustrated embodiment exception situationdeployment orientation processing is performed. For example, one or moreoutput of aiming assistance user interface 113 may indicate to the userthat wireless node 110A should be repositioned (e.g., moved from insidea building to outside the building, raised or lowered in height,disposed in a position which is not shadowed in a particular direction,etc.). In operation according to embodiments of the invention, outputs211, 212, 221, 222, and 231 may be flashed simultaneously to indicate anexception situation. The user may thus be informed that the presentposition is unsuitable. The user may then seek further information, suchas by coupling wireless node 110A to a host (e.g., computer 130) forproviding more detailed information for resolving the exceptionsituation.

If, at block 507, it is determined that the established wireless linkhas attributes sufficiently meeting those desired, processing accordingto the illustrated embodiment proceeds to block 510. At block 510 of theillustrate embodiment reorientation of wireless node 110A is halted andwireless node 110A is placed in an operational configuration. Forexample, processor 111 may indicate that a suitable wireless link hasbeen established using the current deployment configuration bycontinuous activation of output 231 of aiming assistance user interface113. The user may indicate a desire to place wireless node 110A in anoperational mode by manipulation of an input of aiming assistance userinterface 113, such as input 242 (e.g., “End” button). Thereafter,devices or systems coupled to wireless node 110A (e.g., through one ormore port of data interface 115) may utilize the established wirelesslink for communication.

Embodiments of the invention may provide functionality at block 510 inaddition to or in the alternative to placing wireless node 110A in anoperational state. For example, embodiments may operate to reportdeployment configuration information of the wireless node, communicationenvironment information (e.g., as measured by sensors of sensor package112), etc. to one or more external system (e.g., server 120 for storagein database 121). Such information may be utilized to facilitateimproved proactive aiming assistance in further operations with respectto wireless node 110A and/or other wireless nodes deployed in system100.

Although the foregoing example has been described with reference todeploying wireless node 110A, proactive aiming assistance providedaccording to embodiments of the present invention may be provided attimes other than initial deployment. For example, proactive aimingassistance as set forth above may be performed post-deployment, such asafter a significant change in topology or morphology, appearance of newinterferers, deployment of new candidate wireless nodes, etc. Inoperation according to an embodiment of the invention, processor 111 mayperiodically access wireless node information (e.g., as may be stored indatabase 121) to determine if one or more new candidate wireless nodehas been deployed. If it is determined that such a candidate wirelessnode is present, proactive aiming assistance ma be suggested (e.g.,though an output of aiming assistance user interface 113, throughproviding a signal to another system via data interface 115, etc.).

It should be appreciated that, although flow 400 of FIG. 4 and flow 405of FIG. 5 show functions performed in an exemplary order, the order ofperforming various of the above described functions may be altered asdesired or appropriate. For example, certain calculations ordeterminations may be performed prior to positioning the wireless node(block 404 of FIG. 4), such as to offload some or all of this processingto another system (e.g., computer 130), to access network data orresources where the wireless node is not provided network connectivityduring reorientation, etc. As another example, processing to determinecandidate wireless nodes may be performed to embodiments of theinvention prior to obtaining sensor information (block 501 of FIG. 5),such as to perform processing to identify candidate wireless nodes atblock 402 of FIG. 4.

The functional blocks operable to facilitate proactive aiming assistanceaccording to embodiments of the invention may be operated to provideadditional or alternative functionality, if desired. For example,processor 111 and sensor package 112 may operate at times other thandeployment or reorientation of wireless node 110A to providecommunication environment analysis, to determine if the orientation ofwireless node 110A has changed, etc. In operation according to anembodiment of the invention processor 111 and sensor package 112 mayperiodically operate to collect signal information and/or otherinformation for providing to an external system (e.g., server 120) forvarious uses, such as communication environment analysis, wireless linkquality modeling, determining positions of other (e.g., non-cooperating)wireless nodes, and/or the like. For example, such information providedby a plurality of similarly configured wireless nodes may be utilizedwith trilateration or triangulation techniques for determining thepositions of various interferers in the wireless environment.

Although the present invention and its advantages have been described indetail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions andalterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, thescope of the present application is not intended to be limited to theparticular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, compositionof matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. Asone of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from thedisclosure of the present invention, processes, machines, manufacture,compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing orlater to be developed that perform substantially the same function orachieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodimentsdescribed herein may be utilized according to the present invention.Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within theirscope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter,means, methods, or steps.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: in response to determining,at a wireless node, that the wireless node has been positioned in aninitial orientation, determining, at the wireless node, proactive aimingassistance guidance information associated with reorienting the wirelessnode from the initial orientation into a desired deploymentconfiguration, wherein, when the wireless node is oriented into thedesired deployment configuration, the wireless node is operable toestablish a wireless link with a second wireless node, and wherein thewireless link is predicted to have one or more desired attributes; andpresenting the proactive aiming assistance guidance information at auser interface of the wireless node, wherein the proactive aimingassistance guidance information presented at the user interfaceindicates a rotation direction and a tilt direction, wherein therotation direction corresponds to a direction to rotate the wirelessnode to orient the wireless node into the desired deploymentconfiguration, and wherein the tilt direction corresponds to a directionto tilt the wireless node to orient the wireless node into the desireddeployment configuration.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:obtaining sensor information from a plurality of sensors of the wirelessnode; and determining, by the wireless node, the initial orientationusing at least a portion of the sensor information, wherein at least aportion of the proactive aiming assistance guidance information isdetermined using the sensor information.
 3. The method of claim 2,wherein the plurality of sensors of the wireless node comprise a globalpositioning system (GPS) receiver, a digital compass, an inclinometer,and at least one sensor selected from a group consisting of a barometricpressure sensor, a temperature sensor, a tilt switch, an accelerometer,and a gyroscopic sensor.
 4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:obtaining additional sensor information after the wireless node isreoriented in the desired deployment configuration; and providing atleast a portion of the additional sensor information to an externalsource, wherein the external source determines at least a portion of theproactive aiming assistance guidance information based on the additionalsensor information.
 5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:obtaining information from one or more external sources, wherein theinformation is wireless node information, and wherein the proactiveaiming assistance guidance information is determined using at least aportion of the information obtained from the one or more externalsources and the at least a portion of the sensor information.
 6. Themethod of claim 5, wherein the initial orientation is determined basedon a portion of the information obtained from the one or more externalsources.
 7. The method of claim 5, wherein the information obtained fromthe one or more external sources comprises wireless node informationassociated with additional wireless nodes, the method furthercomprising: determining, by the wireless node, one or more candidatewireless nodes from among the additional wireless nodes based on thewireless node information, wherein the wireless node informationincludes information about locations, configurations, and resourcescorresponding to the additional wireless nodes, and wherein the one ormore candidate wireless nodes correspond to additional wireless nodesthat are candidates for establishing the wireless link to the wirelessnode; determining, by the wireless node, preference hierarchies for theone or more candidate wireless nodes; and determining, by the wirelessnode, the desired deployment configuration based upon the preferencehierarchies for the one or more candidate wireless nodes.
 8. The methodof claim 5, further comprising: providing information to the one or moreexternal sources regarding the deployment configuration that thewireless node has been reoriented into.
 9. The method of claim 2,further comprising: obtaining, by the wireless node, additional sensorinformation during the reorientation of the wireless node; and updating,by the wireless node, the proactive aiming assistance guidanceinformation presented at the user interface of the wireless node basedupon at least a portion of the additional sensor information obtainedduring the reorientation of the wireless node.
 10. The method of claim1, wherein the proactive aiming assistance guidance informationpresented at the user interface of the wireless node indicates an amountof rotation and an amount of tilt, wherein the amount of rotationcorresponds to a distance to rotate the wireless node in the rotationdirection to orient the wireless node into the desired deploymentconfiguration, and wherein the amount of tilt corresponds to a distanceto tilt the wireless node in the tilt direction to orient the wirelessnode into the desired deployment configuration.
 11. The method of claim10, wherein the user interface of the wireless node includes a pluralityof indicators, wherein the plurality of indicators includes at least oneindicator associated with the rotation direction and at least oneindicator associated with the tilt direction, wherein the proactiveaiming assistance guidance information indicates the amount of rotationto be provided in the rotation direction by selectively flashing the atleast one indicator associated with the rotation direction, wherein theproactive aiming assistance guidance information indicates the amount oftilt to be provided in the tilt direction by selectively flashing the atleast one indicator associated with the tilt direction, and wherein theat least one indicator associated with the rotation direction and the atleast one indicator associated with the tilt direction are selectivelyflashed until the wireless node is oriented the wireless node into thedesired deployment configuration.
 12. The method of claim 11, whereinthe amount of rotation to be provided corresponds to a rate of flashingthe at least one indicator associated rotation direction, and whereinthe amount of tilt to be provided corresponds to a rate of flashing theat least one indicator associated with the tilt direction.
 13. Themethod of claim 12, further comprising: activating a hold guidanceoutput of the user interface of the wireless node in response todetecting that the wireless node has been oriented into the desireddeployment configuration; determining a plurality of candidate wirelessnodes for providing the wireless link, wherein the plurality ofcandidate wireless nodes includes the second wireless node as acandidate wireless node; determining whether the one or more desiredattributes of the wireless link between the wireless node and the secondwireless node satisfy one or more threshold attribute values in responseto activating the hold guidance output; determining second proactiveaiming assistance guidance information for reorienting the wireless nodeinto a second desired deployment configuration in response todetermining that one or more desired attributes of the wireless linkbetween the wireless node and the second wireless node do not satisfythe one or more threshold attribute values, wherein, when the wirelessnode is oriented into the second desired deployment configuration, thewireless node is operable to establish a second wireless link with athird wireless node, and wherein the second wireless link is predictedto have the one or more desired attributes; and presenting the secondproactive aiming assistance guidance at the user interface of thewireless node, wherein the proactive aiming assistance guidance at theuser interface of the wireless node can be manipulated by using a firstguidance response input and a second guidance response input.
 14. Themethod of claim 13, wherein the first guidance response input allows auser to prompt the user interface to display a next proactive aimingassistance guidance information and the second guidance response inputallows a user to prompt the user interface to display a previousproactive aiming assistance guidance information.
 15. A methodcomprising: obtaining, at a wireless node, sensor information from aplurality of sensors of the wireless node; determining, at the wirelessnode, an initial orientation of an antenna of the wireless node using atleast a portion of the sensor information; determining proactive aimingassistance guidance information based at least in part on the initialorientation of the antenna of the wireless node, wherein the proactiveaiming assistance guidance information is associated with reorientingthe antenna of the wireless node into a desired deploymentconfiguration, wherein, when the antenna of the wireless node isoriented into the desired deployment configuration, the wireless node isoperable to establish a wireless link with a second wireless node,wherein the wireless link is predicted to have one or more desiredattributes, and wherein the wireless link is predicted to have the oneor more desired attributes based on signal strength information,signal-to-noise ratio information, and link budget information; andpresenting the proactive aiming assistance guidance information at auser interface of the wireless node, wherein the proactive aimingassistance guidance information presented at the user interfaceindicates a rotation direction and a tilt direction, wherein therotation direction corresponds to a direction to rotate the wirelessnode to orient the antenna of the wireless node into the desireddeployment configuration, and wherein the tilt direction corresponds toa direction to tilt the wireless node to orient the antenna of thewireless node into the desired deployment configuration.
 16. The methodof claim 15, wherein the plurality of sensors comprise a globalpositioning system (GPS) receiver, a digital compass, an inclinometer,and at least one sensor selected from a group consisting of a barometricpressure sensor, a temperature sensor, a tilt switch, an accelerometer,and a gyroscopic sensor.
 17. The method of claim 15, wherein theproactive aiming assistance guidance information indicates an amount ofrotation and an amount of tilt, wherein the amount of rotationcorresponds to a distance to rotate the wireless node in the rotationdirection to orient the antenna of the wireless node into the desireddeployment configuration, and wherein the amount of tilt corresponds toa distance to tilt the wireless node in the tilt direction to orient theantenna of the wireless node into the desired deployment configuration.18. The method of claim 17, further comprising: obtaining informationfrom one or more external sources, wherein the desired deploymentconfiguration is determined based at least in part on the informationobtained from the one or more external sources.
 19. The method of claim18, wherein the information obtained from the one or more externalsources comprises wireless node information, the method furthercomprising: determining, by the wireless node, one or more candidatewireless nodes for establishing the wireless link with the wireless nodebased on the wireless node information, wherein the wireless nodeinformation comprises information about locations, configurations, andresources corresponding to the one or more candidate wireless nodes, andwherein the one or more candidate wireless nodes includes the secondwireless node; determining, by the wireless node, preference hierarchiesfor the one or more candidate wireless nodes; and determining, by thewireless node, the desired deployment configuration based upon thepreference hierarchies for the one or more candidate wireless nodes. 20.The method of claim 18, wherein the initial orientation is determinedbased at least in part on the information obtained from the one or moreexternal sources.
 21. The method of claim 18, further comprising:providing information to the one or more external sources regarding thedesired deployment configuration of the wireless node after the wirelessnode has been oriented into the desired deployment configuration basedon the proactive aiming assistance guidance information presented at theuser interface.
 22. The method of claim 17, further comprising:obtaining additional sensor information during the reorientation of thewireless node into the desired deployment configuration; and dynamicallyupdating the proactive aiming assistance guidance information presentedat the user interface of the wireless node based upon at least a portionof the additional sensor information obtained during the orienting ofthe wireless node.
 23. The method of claim 17, further comprising:activating a hold guidance output of the user interface of the wirelessnode in response to a determination that the wireless node has beenreoriented into the desired deployment configuration, wherein the holdguidance output indicates that the wireless node has been oriented intothe desired deployment configuration; obtaining additional sensorinformation in response to activating the hold guidance output;determining whether the one or more desired attributes of the wirelesslink between the wireless node and the second wireless node satisfy oneor more threshold attribute values based on the additional sensorinformation; determining a second candidate wireless node from aplurality of candidate wireless nodes for providing the wireless link,wherein the plurality of candidate wireless nodes includes the secondwireless node as a first candidate wireless node; determining secondproactive aiming assistance guidance information for reorienting thewireless node into a second desired deployment configuration in responseto determining that one or more desired attributes of the wireless linkbetween the wireless node and the second candidate wireless node do notsatisfy the one or more threshold attribute values, wherein, when thewireless node is oriented into the second desired deploymentconfiguration, the wireless node is operable to establish a secondwireless link with a second candidate wireless node, and wherein thesecond wireless link is predicted to have the one or more desiredattributes; and presenting the second proactive aiming assistanceguidance at the user interface of the wireless node.
 24. The method ofclaim 23, wherein a first guidance response input allows a user toprompt the user interface to display a next proactive aiming assistanceguidance information and a second guidance response input allows a userto prompt the user interface to display a previous proactive aimingassistance guidance information.
 25. A wireless node comprising: anantenna; a plurality of sensors to provide configuration information,wherein the plurality of sensors include a global positioning system(GPS) receiver, a digital compass, an inclinometer, and at least onesensor selected from a group consisting of a barometric pressure sensor,a temperature sensor, a tilt switch, an accelerometer, and a gyroscopicsensor; a processor to receive configuration information and todetermine proactive orientation guidance information using the receivedconfiguration information; an aiming assistance user interface toreceive signals corresponding to the proactive orientation guidanceinformation from the processor and to present information representativeof the proactive guidance information at the aiming assistance userinterface responsive to the signals, wherein the information presentedat the aiming assistance user interface indicates a rotation directionand a tilt direction, wherein the rotation direction corresponds to adirection to rotate the wireless node to orient the antenna of thewireless node into a desired deployment configuration, wherein the tiltdirection corresponds to a direction to tilt the wireless node to orientthe antenna of the wireless node into the desired deploymentconfiguration, wherein the indicated rotation direction and theindicated tilt direction guide orientation of the wireless node from aninitial orientation into the desired deployment configuration, whereinthe desired deployment configuration is calculated to provide a wirelesslink to a second wireless node, and wherein one or more attributes ofthe wireless link are predicted to be within a threshold amount of adesired value selected for each of the one or more attributes when thewireless node is oriented into the desired deployment configuration,wherein the one or more attributes comprise signal strength,signal-to-noise ratio, and link budget information; and dynamicallyupdating the information presented at the aiming assistance userinterface during the reorientation of the wireless node into the desireddeployment configuration.
 26. The wireless node of claim 25, wherein theinformation presented at the aiming assistance user interface indicatesan amount of rotation and an amount of tilt, wherein the amount ofrotation corresponds to a distance to rotate the wireless node in therotation direction to orient the antenna of the wireless node into thedesired deployment configuration, and wherein the amount of tiltcorresponds to a distance to tilt the wireless node in the tiltdirection to orient the antenna of the wireless node into the desireddeployment configuration.
 27. The wireless node of claim 26, wherein therotation direction instructs a user to alter an azimuth orientation ofthe wireless node.
 28. The wireless node of claim 27, wherein theinformation presented at the aiming assistance user interface indicatesa magnitude of azimuth orientation alteration.
 29. The wireless node ofclaim 28, wherein the tilt direction instructs a user to alter anelevation orientation of the wireless node.
 30. The wireless node ofclaim 29, wherein the information presented at the aiming assistanceuser interface indicates magnitude of elevation orientation alteration.31. The wireless node of claim 30, wherein the aiming assistance userinterface of the wireless node comprises: one or more azimuth guidanceoutputs, wherein the one or more azimuth guidance outputs are responsiveto the signals to indicate the rotation direction and the magnitude ofazimuth alteration; and one or more elevation guidance outputs, whereinthe one or more elevation guidance outputs are responsive to the signalsto indicate the tilt direction and the magnitude of elevationalteration.
 32. The wireless node of claim 31, wherein the one or moreazimuth guidance outputs comprises a left movement guidance output and aright movement guidance output, and wherein the one or more elevationguidance output comprises an up-tilt movement guidance output and adown-tilt movement guidance output.
 33. The wireless node of claim 31,wherein the aiming assistance user interface further comprises: a holdguidance output that is distinct from the one or more azimuth guidanceoutputs and the one or more elevation guidance outputs; and a firstguidance response input and a second guidance response input, wherein afirst guidance response input allows a user to prompt the aimingassistance user interface to display a next proactive orientationguidance information and a second guidance response input allows a userto prompt the aiming assistance user interface to display a previousproactive orientation guidance information.
 34. The wireless node ofclaim 25, wherein the deployment configuration is selected, by thewireless node, from a plurality of candidate deployment configurations.35. The wireless node of claim 34, wherein the processor selects asecond deployment configuration from the plurality of candidatedeployment configurations when the one or more desired attributes of thewireless link to the second wireless node are not within the thresholdamount of the desired value selected for each of the one or more desiredattributes.
 36. The wireless node of claim 35, wherein the processordetermines second proactive orientation guidance information based onsecond deployment configuration information, and wherein the aimingassistance user interface receives second signals corresponding to thesecond proactive orientation guidance information from the processor andpresents second information representative of the second proactiveguidance information at the aiming assistance user interface responsiveto the second signals to guide orientation of the wireless node into thesecond deployment configuration, wherein the user can choose betweendeployment configurations using a first guidance response input and asecond guidance response input.
 37. The wireless node of claim 35,wherein processor determines a rank for each of the plurality ofcandidate deployment configurations, wherein a particular deploymentconfiguration of the plurality of candidate deployment configurations isranked based on whether the one or more desired attributes of aparticular wireless link are within the threshold amount of the desiredvalue selected for each of the one or more desired attributes, whereinthe rank for each of the plurality of candidate deploymentconfigurations is stored in a storage medium of the wireless node.